One Of The Boys
by Peaceee-x
Summary: I've been surrounded by boys my whole life, which has made the tomboy i am. I want to totally transform myself into a girly girl, all for the attention of Troy Bolton. Oneshot.


Disclaimer – I do not own Disney or the High School Musical Characters.

Based off the song One of the Boys, by Katy Perry, Enjoy :)

* * *

Since I was a little girl I've been surrounded by boys. I was the 8th kid in our family, having 7 older brothers. I think my Mom wanted four, but then she started to crave 'girly' company, and went to have another 4 kids just for that little girl. At school, we were nicknamed the 'Weasley's', but that nickname disappeared when one of my older brothers, Matt, proceeded to give the guy who started the joke a black eye and a bust up rib, and we've never been called it since.

However, I'm not the little girl my poor Mother expected; this was proven when at the age of 3, at Christmas. My brothers got Playstations and basketballs, whilst I got barbies and make-up; I ditched my presents and goofed off with my brothers presents instead. It's been downhill ever since.

Instead of making tea with my teddies, I would play on a mud slide with my brothers.

Instead of wearing dresses, I'd insist on jeans, then when Mom got me a decent girly pair; I would skid outside to get holes in the knees.

Instead of playing with the girls at school, I would play sport with my friends, Chad, Zeke, Jason and Troy.

Instead of ballet lessons, I went for guitar lessons and basketball training.

Rather than having a girly best friend, my best friend was Troy Bolton.

The next door neighbours, the Bolton's, moved in when I was 6. By then I was in elementary school. I still hadn't gone girly; I would constantly wear basketball shorts, or baggy jeans. If Mom attempted to dress me up in something different, I would 'accidentally' stain it, or tear it, or get into a fight with one of my brothers so hey would spill some sort of crap on it.

Anyway, my parents set up some meet and greet. I was told I would get along with their only son, Troy, since he was my age.

When my parents answered the door, we were all in out best clothes, including me, wearing some frilly pink crappy dress, against my will. I remember how Troy was introduced to all of us. When we were introduced, he called me a midget, and I kicked him in the balls; we've been best friends ever since.

I'm still the same way now. I wear jerseys instead of boob tubes, and baggy jeans or basketball shorts. I constantly stink, due to my interest in sports and my lack of hygiene products, something I am constantly reminded of by my beloved best friend. And my hair is constantly scraped back. I would have it short, but my Mother insists I keep something girly about myself, and rather than being prodded and poked by beauty enhancing products which are actually a pain in the arse, I decided to have girly hair instead.

However something did change, I developed a crush. God I hate that word, but it's true. What's worse is it's my best friend since I was 6, Troy Bolton. I haven't told him, to him I'm a BO stinking, sport loving, alphabet burping little sister. Crap, right?

This crush started about a year ago. It was the girls basketball tournament, and I was in the Varsity team, the only Sophomore in our school. We were playing against rivals West High Knights. It was the last two minutes of the game. We were down by 2 points. I received the ball from Ellis Jaden, and dribbled up to the 3 pointer line.

* * *

"_Woooooooooo! Go Ella!" screamed Troy from the bleachers. There were about 300 more people, but his voice was the only one I was really paying attention to. "You can do it!" _

_I was about to make my shot when O'Michaels, a West High Knight, bashed into my from behind and made me land straight on my face. I was in pain, especially in my ribs. I knew I'd broke one of them._

"_FOUL!" Troy screamed, which immediately started random bursts of outrage from the East High side of the bleachers. My team mates helped pick me up. My ribs were screaming. I was led to my coach on our side of the gym. Troy immediately came running down the steps and looks at me as I was being lowered onto a bench._

"_Ella? Ella, you okay?" The look of concern on his face was sort of cute. My brothers, Chad, Zeke, and Jason then proceded to crowd around me, I barely had room to breathe._

"_Are you okay?"_

"_That girl is such a knob, if only she was a boy..."_

"_Are you hurt?" The random shouting with them so close to me was hurting my ears._

"_I'm fine." I looked at them in what I'd hoped was a smile instead of a painful grimace. I looked at the coach "Can I do my penalty?"_

_Troy looked outraged "Did you hit the floor so hard your delusional? There's no chance in hell you're doing that penalty, El" The other boys agreed., including Mr Bolton, who was coincidentally the Coach as well._

"_You've cracked a rib, here's no way you can do the penalty, I'll get Jadens to do it."_

_No matter how much I argued, the Bolton pair and my brothers didn't budge. I wouldn't let the argument go, and I actually went to the court to take the penalty, but Troy held me back._

"_Troy, fuck off, will you? I know my limits!" I attempted to wiggle out of his grasp, but it immediately caused a burst of pain from my screaming rib. I winced._

"_Yeah, you obviously know your limits", Troy would've looked smug if he wasn't so irritated. I attempted to wiggle free again, but Troy wasn't having it. Careful of my rib, he lifted me up, bridal style. And walked into the medical room, quickly followed by 4 of my brothers. I was bandaged up and taken care of, and had to sit for half an hour so the medicine could take effect. There was a stony silence, since I childishly refused to talk to them for dragging me off the game. Troy wouldn't stop attempting to get my attention_

"_Ella?" Silence._

"_El?" Still silence._

"_Gaaaaaaaaaab?" Still silence._

"_Midget, Wanker, Fuckface, Peeeeenis?" God damn him for being him, otherwise he'd be rolling round with bruised nuts. The names kept on coming when I eventually lost my cool._

"_Will you SHUT THE FUCK UP?!?!" Then I was met with silence, thank god._

_I closed my eyes and attempted to relax. My pain in my rib had subsided, and I was met with a wave of fatigue._

"_El?" Troy said wearily. I looked at him, pissed that he had penetrated my thoughts. "I'm sorry Ella, but you really shouldn't play with a bust up rib." He sat on the bed, by my hips "I know if it was the other way, you would've dragged me off." I softened, just a little bit._

"_It's fine, I'm just pissed 'cause I busted my ass to try and win that game, then when I could've won it, my rib got fucked up." He gave me a sympathetic smile, and a bear hug. I wrapped my arms around him, embracing the temporary comfort. When he started to rub my back a little, I melted. That was the exact moment I realised I liked him in a boyfriend way, not a brotherly way. _

_I've fell for the guy who thinks it's funny to shoot spit rockets at Ms. Darbus during homeroom, the guy who I have been best friends with since I was 6, the guy who..._

_As my mind was racing with the new discovery, one of my brothers did a fake cough. _

"_Break it up, will you? You look like lovesick puppies." Troy looked repulsed at the thought, whilst I was still incapable of words, shocked beyond belief at the news I had only just embraced. My face must've looked a little disgusted, which was enough to fool my oblivious brothers._

* * *

That was it, since then I have been, ashamedly, one of Troy's lovesick followers. The only difference is that I was able to keep it under wraps, whilst everyone else was so obvious about it. After a year of obsession, I'd reached a stage when I couldn't take it any more. I watched him constantly go after and make out with the prettiest girls in school.

I've watched him only see me as a little sister, maybe even a brother, since society today classes me as a 'male with his pride chopped off'.

I've constantly watched him have short, unmeaningful relationships with dumb cheerleaders.

I've tried to get over him, I really have. I actually wasted my money on a cosmo magazine, since the cover said _How To Get Over A Guy In 10 Days, _which turned out utter bullshit, and I have since burnt that magazine. I've checked out a large number of guys, but I always compare them to Troy. It's like my minds a TV and he's the channel I'm playing, and the remote to change the channel doesn't exist.

It's May, and I've decided, in a vain attempt to get Troy's attention, to change myself. No, I'm not going to walk around with pink frilly dresses or skirts which look more like underwear, I'm going to do simple things, like pluck eyebrows, make sure no one can see the dirt under my nails, and dress in a way which makes me out as a girl, not a slut.

To do this, I have recruited my Mother. When she found out I'm going to be dressing 'half-decent', she literally screamed and was crying for about 3 hours afterwards. I've also recruited my brother Scott's girlfriend, Sharpay. They've been going out for two years and she has claimed numerous times that she wishes to "glamorise and advertise" me.

My brothers are oblivious, as is Troy and all my friends a school, which are coincidentally guys. Sharpay's in my year, and she hangs around with us since Scott is on the guys basketball team, but we don't really socialise in school. If any of the guys found out, they would all question my sanity, since I've been this way for as long as I remember.

You may be wondering how I'm going to do this under the radar? I'm going to New York. With my Mother and Sharpay. When the boys questioned it, we just said that Sharpay wants to go, as does my Mother, and I've just been dragged along. This is believable, since Sharpay and my Mother have been talking of a shopping trip for a while, and the part about me being dragged along due to their non-stop persuasion to try and make me girly.

* * *

It's the day. The day of the flight to New York, where I will learn to become a woman. I'm fucking dreading it.

Although I did say I wanted this, I'm starting to question it, why should I change my ways for one guy? When I told Sharpay, who I have been gradually getting close to, my worries, she abruptly stopped me.

"Gabriella Anne Montez! Do you want Troy fucking Bolton or not?! Besides this isn't just for him, it's for your Mother, and all your future babies who want Troys sperm to make them, not some fucking lesbian, who you will most likely marry if you continue this way!"

That stopped me. It was the first time she'd yelled, and now I know why my brother has a panic attack every time she's due on. Although her words were harsh, I knew they were true. So instead of starting a fight, I thanked her. For yelling at me. For calling me a lesbian. What the fuck is wrong with me?!

As we're saying our goodbye's, I fist-pound my brothers, hug my dad, and hug Troy. Sharpay is giving me a 'fuck him right now' look, and I stick two fingers up at her, but she just laughs.

"Bye, Ella" Troy says as we finally break apart "cya when we start school, yeah?" then we fist-pound, and I jump in the taxi, which is taking us to the airport.

As the car moves, I look in the back window, and look at Troy, and I realise... I'm a whipped fucker.

* * *

We're back from New York. It was strangely, fun. The day after we arrived, we went shopping all over New York for clothes, soaps, shoes, make-up, hair products, basically all the things 99.9% of girls in America own, for me. Over a month we completely changed me, whilst Sharpay and Mother got loads of things for themselves as well. I learnt how to shave my legs, pluck my eyebrows, do fancy crap with my hair etc.

And, I actually like what I look like now. In the beginning, I felt like I was being pulled and brought pain in places we don't want pain to be, mainly the bikini waxed I was forced into. That's the only thing I will refuse to keep doing, instead I will shave, or use hair removal.

The next two months were at the Lava Springs club in San Francisco, courtesy of Sharpay. Mom went home after the New York trip, since she knew the boys were living on take-outs and had completely bombed the house that is her pride and joy. Me and Sharpay really got to know one another, and we're now almost as close as me and Troy.

We kept in touch. We had phone calls at least once a week, which lasted hours. Every time he claimed he missed me, which would promptly bring the mushy feeling in my stomach again. I'll see him tomorrow, when school starts.

My brothers were beyond shocked when they saw me. Overprotective mode came on immediately when they saw me walk through the door in tight jeans and a strappy top. Scott, who starts college this fall, even had the nerve to say I looked like a slut, which led to him getting a punch in the face. They all shut up after that.

After catching up with the family and eating, I actually planned what I would wear tomorrow. Something I vowed I would never do, but most of my resolutions have gone down the drain since I developed a crush,hasn't it?

I'm wearing dark blue skinnies, a black crinkled strappy top with a belt just under my boobs and a leather jacket. I'm wearing flat, black boots and I'm curling my hair. Goodbye lie-ins, I'll miss you.

Well, today has gone decently, at least. When I walked into the school, I was met with lots of wolf whistling and shocked glances. I just smiled uncomfortably and walked down the hall. I met Sharpay halfway and we went to our lockers, then to Troy's. When he saw me, his jaw dropped like a fish. It was priceless.

Troy actually checked me out. He must've thought it was subtle, but to me it was the ost obvious thing in the world, and I glowed afterwards.

"Hey Troy" I said as I walked up to him.

"Wh...umm, hi?" His response was a string of incoherent words. I couldn't help but giggle in a girlish way, which led to his eyes going slightly wider, if possible, and he appeared to be lost for words.

"Troy, you ok?" I was seriously concerned, he barely breathed in the five minutes we spoke.

"Ye..Yeah." I raised my eyebrow "I mean, you look... different?"

"Thanks" I took it as a compliment, looking back I'm not so sure. The bell rung "Ready for hell with another year of Darbus?"

Troy composed himself and blushed slightly, then rubbed the back of his neck, a sign he was nervous. He wordlessly nodded and walked at a comfortable pace beside me. Chad, Zeke and Jasons reactions were similar, Jason said I looked hot, then Troy punched him on the arm and muttered "not cool, man"

So yeah, that's a good sign right?

* * *

Wrong. 3 weeks later and he's barely spoken to me. Ever since then he's blatantly avoided me. I've carried on dressing girly, which most boys have appreciated, accept for him. He's barely glanced in my direction since the first day back. It's a piss take, because all the effort was for him and he doesn't appreciate it.

He's now, most likely, on the rooftop. I am going to go up and see what his fucking problem is, I've reached the end of my patience now. I must look a scary sight. Us Montez's are not people you want to mess with when we're in bad moods.

I've reached the rooftop, and I was right, Troy's there, sitting on the bench, deep in thought, totally comfortable when I scream...

"YOU!" He jumped visibly, then looked at me startled.

"Hey Gab" he replied, a little weary. He's seen me in a bad mood. The last time I threw my tampon box at him because he missed a game of one-on-one we scheduled for a date with a bimbo. He claims he "barely made it out alive." Bullshit.

"Don't 'Gab' me!" I'm furious "You've been fucking avoiding me like the plague since we've been back, you twat! You..."

"Fucking hell stop yelling!" he was getting angry now.

"No, I wont!" I yelled louder, if that's possible "You've pissed me off, you can't ignore me for three whole fucking weeks then make out everything's ok! 'Hey Gab?', bullshit!"

"I haven't been ignoring you!" He was starting to yell now.

"Once again, BULLSHIT!"

"I haven't! I've been getting my head straight!"

"Why? It's not fucking wonky! I would know if something was going on in your family..."

"It's nothing to do with my family!"

"What's it to do with then?" I'd softened by now, my anger overpowered by concern.

He looked at me for a few seconds, then shook his head "Nothing"

I sat next to him, and he looked away. I took his hand and gently stroked it with both hands. He let out a loud sigh, but let me carry on. After a few seconds he pulled me into a hug and buried his head in my shoulder, and I stroked his back. His voice was muffled by my shoulder.

"I'm confused."

"About what?"

"Why you've changed." I immediately stiffened, and he responded to that. He held me and let me rest my head against his shoulder. "Why? The Gab I know hates the idea of being girly, or bothering with coating her face with make-up, or _giggling._" He paused, and massaged the bridge of his nose, then looked at me "What changed?"

I was silent, debating whether to spill the beans or not. He gently stroked my hair the way he did whenever I cried, knowing it would completely relax me. So I took a deep breath, gathered all my courage and said "I was sick of it"

"Sick of what?" he looked at me with those piercing eyes.

"Being mistaken for a boy. People don't ever think I'm beautiful, or cute, or sexy" Troy coughed awkwardly at that "I just wanted to be recognised as a girl for once. I know I eat like a pig, play more sports than most boys, and that's never going to change. I just wanted to look like a girl"

There was a short silence."There's more to it than that" Troy concluded, "I know you, Gab. I know you as well as I know myself, and I know that although that may be partially true, there's a bigger reason. So, why?"

Curse him. I knew that us being so close would bite me on the ass someday. Well, if I know Troy like I do, he wont shut up until I tell him. So I once again gathered all my nerve and said "You."

"Me?" Troy sounded so confused "Why would you change for me? I'm your best friend, I like you the way you are". Okay for a guy who knows me 'so well' he really is oblivious.

"Exactly! For the past 10 or 11 years we've been best friends, and for the past year I've had this huge thing for you, and you never noticed me in that way, instead you noticed airheads and sluts. So, I changed to get you to notice me in that way."

Troy was silent. Crap, I've totally ruined this. Stupid Sharpay, damn Mother, stupid careless idiotic me.

After 5 minutes with Troy not speaking, I made a move to get off his lap so I could run and pretend it didn't happen, but he grabbed my hips and sat me on his lap again.

He looked at me "You're right, I never noticed you that way" He paused "Until three weeks ago, when you walked through East High looking beautiful, cute and sexy" He chuckled as I blushed beetroot. "I needed to clear my head because I needed to see if it was just lust, or if I actually felt something deep for you." He looked at me seriously "because if I fucked this up then not only do I lose a girlfriend, I lose the girl who's been there for me for the past 11 years"

He was killing me, couldn't he just spit it out?!

He seemed to notice my expression of true annoyance and smiled softly "I think I'm in love with you, Gab"

That must've been the happiest moment of my life. I could feel myself grin so widely my cheeks hurt. He had the same grin as he leaned in and captured my lips in a kiss. I could feel him smile wider into the kiss and one of his hands stroking my back, whilst the other was stroking my cheek.

We pulled apart. I looked at him and said, "I love you too, Troy"

Finally.


End file.
